Anne EtheridgeEconomic and Social Data Service

IASSIST 2006 24 May 2006

METADATA MANAGEMENT THE FORGOTTEN WORLD OF THE BACK

OFFICE

METADATA MANAGEMENT

• overlooked section of digital data life cycle

• records populated by cut and paste

• frequently updated web pages given to non-web editors

• back office not a high organisational priority

METADATA MANAGEMENT

• highlight how ESDS strategy has made cataloguing and web page update straightforward

WHO ARE THE BACK OFFICE?

• not users

• people who make things work

• create catalogue records• maintain authority lists• update staff lists

• organise events• update web pages

THE FORGOTTEN WORLD

• web pages

• catalogue records

• event organisation

Three areas of metadata management:

CATALOGUE RECORDS

DEPOSIT FORM INPUT PROGRAM

CATALOGUE RECORD

information from depositor

value-added

online access

CATALOGUE RECORD

• data creator, data collector, sponsor• sampling, weighting, data collection methods• abstract • geographical coverage • temporal coverage

• references to publications • subject keywords • variables online documentation • lists of related datasets

CATALOGUE RECORD

DEPOSIT FORMS

depositor add information

• data format e.g. SPSS• documentation format• abstract

• title

• depositor

• dates of fieldwork• time period

• publications

• geographic coverage

• Microsoft Word

DEPOSIT FORMS

• data on floppy disc

• details copied

LEGACY CURRENT

• download forms

• Visual basic

• export DDI XML

INPUT PROGRAMS

LEGACY

• add/copy all fields

Deposit form Input program

General Household Survey, 2004-2005 Office for National Statistics

Repeated cross-sectional study

01 April 2004-31 March 2005

INPUT PROGRAMS

• add: keywords, subject category, links and other resources, access codes, notes for internal use

• DDI XML from deposit forms

CURRENT

• added to underlying database fields

• flag fields to check

INPUT PROGRAMS

Advantage to back office

• no cutting and pasting

• more accurate records

• more time to add value to catalogue record

• database of events

• training courses

• news items

• online booking

• RSS feed

EVENT MANAGEMENT

• same event on more than one web page

• need more information than appears on web page

EVENT MANAGEMENT – database of events

• Word • HTML

• print-friendly

• use template

EVENT MANAGEMENT - programme

LEGACY CURRENT

Advantage to back office

• always have latest version

• easy to print out

EVENT MANAGEMENT - programme

• easy to create for new event

EVENT MANAGEMENT – booking

• Word

LEGACY

• sent via email

• paste into Excel

• create delegate list

• create new form for each event

EVENT MANAGEMENT – booking

CURRENT

• tick boxes

• update fields

• submit from web

• new booking email

• dynamic delegate lists

• checking a few boxes – costs, max numbers, contact, special note for event

Advantage to back office

EVENT MANAGEMENT – booking

• no duplication of information

• simple to add booking form for event

• delegate lists always up-to-date

NEW ESDS WEB SITE

designed with back office in mind

• use of metadata in navigation

• use of style sheets

• metadata used in design

• common include files

• use of standards

NEW ESDS WEB SITE

topmenu="data" sidemenu="ordering" submenu="order" subsubmenu="accesshelp"

<% if topMenu = "deposit" then %>

<!-- #include virtual="/includes/deplinks.inc" -->

<% end if %>

<% if topMenu = "create" then %>

<!-- #include virtual="/includes/createlinks.inc"-->

<% end if %>

NEW ESDS WEB SITE

Advantage to back office

• web pages easy to update

• easy flexible design

• more time to make changes

• consistent look and feel

• repetitive

If task is:

CONCLUSION

• complicated

• dull

Find a way to make it easier for the back office

• infrequent

• repetitive

• repetitive

• repetitive